By Ismail Auwal
The Federal Government claims to have identified 96 financiers of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), between 2020 and 2021
This was disclosed by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed on Thursday.
However, Mohammed did not give the names of the sponsors and companies linked with terrorism.
Mohammed stated that in order to combat terrorism financing in Nigeria, the Federal Government used a variety of tools to combat corruption and money laundering.
According to him, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) discovered 424 terrorist financiers’ associates/supporters, as well as the involvement of approximately 123 companies and 33 bureaus de change.
The agency also identified at least 26 suspected bandits/kidnappers and seven co-conspirators, he said.
“The Buhari Administration has taken bold measures to streamline cumbersome bureaucratic processes in the implementation of government policies, check corrupt practices and ensure accountability in the implementation as well as delivery of these policies,” Mohammed said.
“For its part, the analysis by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), in 2020-2021, revealed 96 financiers of terrorism in Nigeria, 424 associates/supporters of the financiers, involvement of about 123 companies and 33 bureaux de change, in addition to identifying 26 suspected bandits/kidnappers and 7 co-conspirators.
“The analysis has resulted in the arrest of 45 suspects who will soon face prosecution and seizure of assets. Also, from its analysis of tax evasion and tax avoidance linked to corruption, NFIU has identified N3,909,707,678,112.43 in VAT and N3,737,918,335,785.82 in Withholding Tax due to the Government. NFIU has also sent 1,165 intelligence reports on cases of corruption, money laundering and other serious offences to 27 domestic agencies for investigation, prosecution and asset recovery.
“On terrorism financing, NFIU had intelligence exchanges on Boko Haram, ISWAP, banditry, kidnapping and others with 19 countries. During the same period, 2020-2021, the organization returned fraudulently-obtained funds totalling US$103,722,102.83, 3,000 pound sterling; 7,695 Singapore dollar, and 1,091 euros to 11 countries of victims who came into the country.”
